The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has revealed that it has no knowledge about the construction of the National Cathedral by Ribade Company Limited.
The PPA gave the response in reply to a request for procurement information under the Right to Information Act, by North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Writing to the MP, the Authority asked the legislator to refer to the National Cathedral’s Secretariat for more information.
“Reference is made to your letter dated 4th July 2022, on the subject above. Please be informed that the Public Procurement Authority holds no information relating to the construction of the National Cathedral by Ribade Company Ltd.
You may wish to refer your enquiry to the National Cathedral Secretariat”, the letter dated July 5 stated.
Reacting to this, Mr Ablakwa reiterated his displeasure with the circumstances surrounding the construction of the National Cathedral.
According to him, “even people who build for Satan do not engage in such a lawless orgy”.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Mr Ablakwa said the denial by the PPA on the construction of the Cathedral by Ribade Company Limited affirms his long-held reservations about the Project.
In his post, he narrated as follows: “On the 4th of July, 2022, I decided to make a formal RTI request under Section 18 of Act 989 to the Public Procurement Authority to establish the procurement status regarding the construction of the National Cathedral by RIBADE Company Limited. (See copy of my request attached).
To my utter shock, the PPA’s Chief Executive, Mr. Frank Mante, responded in a 5th July 2022 letter that it ‘holds no information relating to the construction of the National Cathedral by Ribade Company Ltd’ (See attached)”.
Mr Ablakwa continued: “It is absolutely despicable to discover the sinful levels of recklessness and lawlessness which the Akufo-Addo government is exhibiting in the construction of a massive US$400million cathedral which has already siphoned a colossal GHS200million of public funds, albeit unconstitutionally, without any regard, whatsoever, for Ghana’s procurement laws”.
Based on the response from the PPA, Mr Ablakwa, therefore, accused the government of engaging in procurement illegalities; adding that such activities hurt the interest of citizens.
“When procurement laws are not respected and cronies are handpicked in sweetheart deals as in this instant case, there is no value for money, Ghana is shortchanged financially and technically”, he stated.
In his venting his spleen, he further noted that “This is yet another significant addition to the already countless cases of flagrant violation of the 1992 Constitution and other laws of Ghana, ironically in a temple project which should have edified God. Even people who build for Satan do not engage in such a lawless orgy”.
In his concluding remarks, he said, “It must not be lost on us that this Akufo-Addo government has prosecuted political opponents and succeeded in jailing some, and then serving as an elated conveyor belt in a conspiracy that removed an Electoral Commissioner from office, all for alleged procurement breaches — none of those procurement infractions measure up to this egregious transgression”.
“On judgment day, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth”, his post concluded.